


all through the night

by orphan_account



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cheryl Blossom Deserves The World, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Multi, OT3, Post-Episode: s02e05, Shippy Gen, Short One Shot, Sleeping Together, and so does this ot3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-15
Updated: 2017-11-15
Packaged: 2019-02-02 21:08:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12734355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A part of her wants to stay like this forever; encircled by Josie and Veronica, undisturbed by the outside world.(Or: Cheryl spends the night with Josie and Veronica at the Pembrooke.)





	all through the night

As the night progresses, people leave one by one. On their way out, they give Cheryl tender hugs and comforting words - though she nods in response and appreciates the sentiment, they barely scrape the surface of her anguish - until there's only Veronica and Josie left. Each on either side of her, engulfing her with their intrinsic warmth.

"You don't have to take care of me," Cheryl says, her voice hoarse and quiet, after Veronica insisted that she stay with her and Josie for the night at the Pembrooke. Even though she knows that she shouldn't feel this way, she doesn't want to further burden them after everything they have already done for her.

Veronica slowly shakes her head, and inches closer.

"We are not leaving you all alone, Cheryl," Veronica says emphatically and cups Cheryl's face, her thumb brushing over her cheek. 

Josie grasps Cheryl's hand and gives it a light squeeze. Cheryl spends a moment gazing at their entwined hands before focusing her eyes on Josie's face. "Let us be there for you," Josie smiles, and Cheryl almost feels like crying again; but not the painful kind, rather the kind of crying that feels like relief.

The corners of Cheryl's mouth quirk up an inch, and it's all the concord Josie and Veronica need. 

Veronica moves to turn the lights off before crawling under the covers with Josie and Cheryl. Cheryl's lying on her back in the center of the bed, staring at the ceiling, while Josie's curled at her side. Veronica's on her side too, a hand placed underneath her head, and she watches Cheryl's profile, the way the moonlight hauntingly paints her.

None of them say anything, simply let the silence, this illusion of serenity wash over them, when Cheryl chokes out an uncontrolled sob, a teardrop trailing down her face that Veronica instinctively wipes away. Josie scoots her head into the crook of Cheryl's neck, nuzzling against her.

It's in this pivotal moment that Cheryl feels like she can breath again, like she just exhaled a gust of air that was lodged inside her throat this whole time, threatening to suffocate her, and she's so grateful that she yielded to Josie and Veronica's insistence to stay.

She searches for their hands, and when she locates them, intertwines her fingers with theirs. After that, sleep comes easy to the three of them.

 

 

When morning arrives, and sunlight's trickling through the curtains, Cheryl finds herself awake on her side, facing Veronica's peaceful face, while Josie's arms are wrapped around her stomach. 

It reminds her a bit of the sleepovers she had as a kid, back when things were easier and more joyous. (To a certain degree anyhow, because being a Blossom comes with its own trials that not even the children can escape.)

A part of her wants to stay like this forever; encircled by Josie and Veronica, undisturbed by the outside world. 

But there's a battle to be fought, so she will get up.

Because that's what Cheryl Blossom does.

She perseveres.


End file.
